SIU at South Dakota preview: Rematch of a five-overtime thriller
VERMILLION, S.D. — Last year's meeting between Southern Illinois and South Dakota was a game for the ages, a heart-stopping, 53-51 thriller that was won by the Coyotes in the fifth OT, the longest overtime game in school history for both teams.
The Salukis led by 17 points midway through the third quarter, but USD scored 20-straight points to take a 34-31 lead. SIU kicker Paul Geelen sent the game to overtime, 34-34, with a 36-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.
All five overtimes featured high drama.
On the first play of OT, Saluki quarterback DJ Williams lobbed a 25-yard touchdown to Jay Jones down the left sideline, sending a roar through the stadium and giving SIU a momentary seven-point lead. South Dakota responded in dramatic fashion, converting on 4th-and-1 when Aidan Bouman completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to L.J. Phillips Jr.
In the second overtime, Bouman lobbed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Larenzo Fenner on 3rd-and-9. On the required two-point conversion, tight end Jesse Miller appeared to fumble the ball across the left pylon, but replays did not have a view of the play and the call was upheld.
On the first play of SIU’s second overtime possession, Williams hit Vinson Davis III down the left sideline for a 25-yard TD, and tight end Ryan Schwendeman caught a game-tying conversion in the left corner of the end zone.
Neither team converted its two-point attempt in the third overtime, but in the fourth overtime, South Dakota had the first crack and appeared to be stopped when Tennel Bryant was trapped in the backfield on a reverse. He switched directions and scampered into the end zone to put South Dakota up by two. Williams matched that effort with a two-point run of his own.
In the final overtime, SIU went first, and Williams’ pass to Fabian McCray was just beyond the wide receiver's reach. South Dakota then won it on a Bouman to Fenner pass.
“I thought (the game) was over in a bad way, and the amount of times I thought we had it won, and the game just kept going,” marveled South Dakota head coach Matt Vitzthum, who was the team’s offensive coordinator last year. “Like, let's not do that again. I don't know if my heart and my head of hair can take that.”
SIU head coach Nick Hill said he has spent no time discussing last year’s game with this year’s team, although video cut-ups of the game for this week’s game prep are a frequent reminder.
“We have a lot of guys back from last season and they know what type of football game it was,” he said. “But we've got to go make a story for this game.”
Game Facts
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Kickoff: 1 PM CT
Location: Vermillion, SD
Facility: Dakota Dome (9,100)
Radio: WCIL (101.5 FM), Varsity Network App
TV: ESPN+
Series: USD leads, 7-4
Spread: YSU -10.5
First and Ten
Saturday will be the 12th meeting between the schools in a series that began in 2014 and has taken place each year except the COVID season..
The Coyotes (pronounced Kai-yotes) have won the last four meetings with SIU.
Southern is 2-4 at the Dakota Dome, posting wins in 2019 and 2021.
The Saluki win in 2021 was a first-round playoff victory. In that game, SIU forced four turnovers. Safety Qua Brown had two interceptions, Clayton Bush added another pick, and Dorian Davis forced a late fumble that sealed a 22-10 victory. Nic Baker completed 21-of-30 passes in the game, and Avante Cox had 10 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Since the Dakota Dome opened in 1979, USD has a 190-82 home record.
Neither team has beaten a ranked opponent this season.
Their only common opponent is Youngstown State. South Dakota lost at YSU, 47-28. Southern Illinois lost at home to YSU, 28-16.
The game features the league’s top-two tacklers: SIU's Ben Fiegel (51 tackles) and South Dakota’s Wade Abrams (50 tackles).
#10-ranked South Dakota Notebook
South Dakota joined the MVFC in 2012, completing its three-year transition from Division II to Division I.
Outside of football, USD’s team’s compete in the Summit League.
The Coyotes have won five FCS playoff games in the last three seasons.
The program’s best Division I season came in 2024 under Bob Nielson when the Yotes won 11 games (11-3), won a share of the MVFC title (7-1) and advanced to the FCS Playoffs semifinals.
USD has won 17 of its last 18 home games.
QB Austyn Modrzewski ranks second in the FCS with 18 passing touchdowns and second in passing efficiency (180.9).
RB Charles Pierre Jr. (Sr.) has ten 100-yard rushing games in his career, including 100+ yards against Eastern Washington and Indiana State this season.
In last week’s 44-14 win over Indiana State, the Coyotes’ defense forced five turnovers, and the offense scored points off all of them.
#25-ranked Southern Illinois Notebook
In his third season at SIU, DJ Williams has an 11-9 career record as a starter for the Salukis. He has 58 career touchdowns — 30 passing and 28 rushing. Last season, he set the school record with 40 touchdowns.
Last Saturday versus Youngstown State, Williams moved into the school’s top 10 in career passing. He ranks ninth with 4,409 yards.
Despite missing more than six quarters of football with an injury, Williams ranks third in the Valley this season in rushing TDs (6).
WR Kyle Thomas is coming off a game in which he posted career highs in catches (8) and yards (155).
Thomas leads the conference in receiving yards (457) this season.
DE Ibrahim Sanogo leads the league in sacks (5.5).
LB Ben Fiegel leads the league in tackles (51), while LB Andrew Behm (47) ranks third.
RG Derek Harden Jr. returned to the lineup last week and made his 34th career starts.
OL Jacob Katauskas showed his versatility last week by playing three O-line positions — both tackles spots, plus left guard.
SIU leads the nation in interceptions with 10, including two more last week. The Salukis had 12 interceptions in 2025.
SIU’s has 14.0 sacks on the season. They had 18.0 in 2025.
CB Sebastian Vargas Escobar leads the team with three picks. He has four interceptions in his last seven games dating back to the 2025 season.
The Salukis lead the league in time of possession at 32:00 per game.
Quoting South Dakota head coach Matt Vitzthum
On Nick Hill:
“I probably couldn't have any more respect for anybody in the league than I do Nick Hill. He's as talented of an offensive mind as I've been around. When I got here my first couple of years, I really enjoyed watching their tape, because I think he gets it and he's developed quarterbacks year after year.”
On DJ Williams:
“DJ presents a very similar challenge that Beau (Brungard) did. Obviously, can hurt you with both his legs and his arm. I think we need to learn and grow from the tape a couple of weeks ago and what Beau did to us. There's a lot of things that we would like to change and do differently. I know our group's hungry to go out and play a quarterback very similar to Beau’s caliber.”
On SIU’s defense:
“I think (SIU’s defense) is the most improved unit in the Missouri Valley from a year ago. Their defense is playing fast. They're playing confident. They got a ton of trust in each other. I think you're seeing (Lee Pronschinske’s) culture, his scheme really being instilled in those guys, really believing in him and him believing in them.”
Quoting Southern Illinois Coach Nick Hill
On South Dakota:
“I have great respect for what their program has accomplished. Even with three head coaches in three years, there’s a consistency with guys who’ve been on the staff and haven't deviated from the plan. They've all put their different tweaks on it, but it's remained consistent and they do a great job.”
On sophomore QB Austyn Modrzewski:
“He has a a really strong arm, can make all the throws. He's shown in games to have the athleticism to pull the ball and run. They've played a couple quarterbacks, at times, for some quarterback run-game stuff. They do a great job with their schemes on both sides of the football. It's a fundamentally sound scheme on both sides.”
On SIU’s defense:
“I have a lot of confidence in our defense, Coach Pron, the staff and our scheme. It's about getting 11 guys that are on the field to go and execute it and understand their job and do it with a great confidence. We challenge our guys to play with an edge and play with an unwavering confidence.”
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